Alicante Quilt Pattern

The Alicante quilt pattern is based on a mosaic tile design that I saw on my recent trip to Alicante – the pathway looked as though it was rippled although it was actually completely flat. The design is a bit like chevrons, but more rounded to give a wave effect.

I have made the quilt using eighteen blocks which are 20″ by 12″ finished size, giving a finished quilt size of 64″ by 76″ and using 2 yards of cream, 1.3/4 yards of red and 1.1/4 yards of brown fabric.

You can buy these fabrics at a 10% reduction in this week’s special offer. I am also holding a birthday sale (I turned 62 yesterday!). I checked back to see what I gave last year on my birthday and it was 16% off for purchases over £5, so I am doing the same again for this year’s birthday sale. I’ve just taken delivery of some gorgeous Kona Bay fabrics.

2.7/8″ squares: sixty three red, sixty three brown, one hundred and twenty six cream

For the border you will need seven 2.1/2″ strips of red fabric cut across the width of fabric

Make half square triangle units

Making the Alicante quilt blocks

Make half square triangle units with all the 2.7/8″ squares. Place a cream square with either a red or a brown square, right sides together. Mark a line along the diagonal and sew a 1/4″ seam either side of the marked line. Cut along the line to produce two half square triangle units which are now 2.1/2″ squares.

Lay the squares out in six rows of ten for each block. I have actually used rectangles in place of multiple squares to save time on the sewing. A 4.1/2″ by 2.1/2″ rectangle is equivalent to two 2.1/2″ squares and a 6.1/2″ by 2.1/2″ rectangle is equivalent to three 2.1/2″ squares.

Alicante quilt block layout

So the first row is made with a 6.1/2″ cream rectangle at each end and a 4.1/2″ brown rectangle in the middle with a half square triangle either side of it.

The second row is made with a 4.1/2″ cream strip at each end, a 6.1/2″ brown strip with a 2.1/2″ brown square in the middle, again with a half square triangle on either side.

The third row is made with a cream square at each end, two 6.1/2″ brown strips in the middle with a half square triangle on each side.

The fourth row has a cream square at each end with a 4.1/2″ brown strip inside of them, then a half square triangle at each side of a 4.1/2″ cream strip.

The fifth row has a half square triangle at each end, then a brown square followed by another half square triangle and two 4.1/2″ cream strips in the middle.

The sixth and final row has a brown square at each end followed by a half square triangle, with two 6.1/2″ cream strips in the middle.

Completed Alicante quilt blocks

Sew the patchwork pieces together across each row and then sew the rows to each other to complete the block. Make nine of these and then make nine more exactly the same but substituting red fabric for brown.

Assembling the Alicante quilt

Sew the blocks in 6 rows of 3

Sew the blocks together in six rows of three, using the same colour across each row – three rows of brown blocks and three rows of red blocks, alternating the colours row by row.

Add the quilt border

For the border I have used 2.1/2″ strips of red fabric. You’ll need two lengths of 60.1/2″ for the top and bottom and two lengths of 76.1/2″ for the sides.

That completes the Alicante quilt top. It is now ready for layering, quilting and binding. Full details of these steps can be found in the quilting for beginners section.

Metal soldiers in the Castle

If you’d like to see more photos and thoughts from my trip to Alicante last week, you can see them here.

Don’t forget the fabric sale which will last until next Thursday 19th May.

Thanks, June. As soon as I saw that paving I felt that I wanted to use the design in a quilt – I am so filled with admiration for the guys who laid those mosaics: thousands and thousands of tiny tiles.

Hope you had a Very Happy Birthday Rose. We share a birth year! I am coming over to the UK in a couple of days, so hope to be able to visit your shop. I have just had a 4 day Quilting retreat in the hills above Perth, WA, with 30 other like-minded women. Was a wonderful, busy, fun weekend. We sewed until the early hours then got up for breakfast and started all over again. Looking forward to finding some gorgeous fabrics in England. Fiona

Hi Fiona. I hope you have a wonderful holiday in the UK. I’m sure you’ll be able to find plenty of lovely fabrics. I don’t actually have a shop – I do everything on line (don’t forget that I now liver in Birmingham, not Ludlow). It sounds as if you had a fantastic time on your quilting retreat.

Hi Rose, I’ve never seen this pattern before, it looks very complicated and I was surprised that it’s easier than it looks. This is really different and I enjoyed seeing and listening to your directions. Thank you so much for sharing this.

Hi Rose. Away from my computer so I’m late in responding. I vacationed in Spain twice but it was always in the southern part. Alicante was a city I had never heard of before so I’ve been sitting here viewing all the photos taken by tourists. What a beautiful city! I saw the marble promenade – the inspiration for your pattern. I learned that it was an imitation of the waves of the Mediterranean in colors of red, cream and black.
Once again, Happy 63rd Birthday. I remember your birthday because my 85th birthday will be on the 21st ..yours on (numbers reversed) the 12th. I’ll be looking forward to next Friday.

I have downloaded the PDF for this week’s quilt. I don’t know how you manage a quilt top every week, as well as the pattern online and PDF. It must really be a full time job, and then some.
Many thanks, I store ideas in a folder and it is so useful on dry days to have something to flick through and cheer oneself up with.
Next, the tiles in Venice!

Oh Rose,
Happy Day after your Birthday. Well you could celebrate the whole weekend. Another great quilt. Love the pattern, so different. You have me seeing quilt ideas in the things I see around me. Cannot put them into a design like you, but… would love to try someday. Every week I see one of your great ideas and say I could do that. But…. have I ? not yet. I will get there someday and I may start with this one. I am having a birthday on May 30,As an early birthday present my cousin gave me some fat quarters and a pattern to go with them. HMM Which should I start first. Plenty of time to think about it.
Hope you have a great weekend and Happy Quilting.
Sandra

Hi Sandra. Happy Birthday for later this month. It becomes an obsession, looking for quilt designs. I have noticed that I tend to go into a cathedral with my head down looking at the floor tiling first while all those around me have their gaze fixed upwards on the windows and ceilings. I still see those, but only after I’ve had a good gawk at the floor tiles!

Hi Rose, this looks interesting, how long does it take you to do one of your quilts you put on here each week, I am still fairly new so wouldn’t have any idea. Another one to go on my TO DO list. Thank you Laura

Hi Laura. I only make the quilt top for the newsletter. I wouldn’t have time to make the complete quilt each week. It’s difficult to put a time on it because I tend to have several projects on the go at any one time. I do try and show you the quickest and simplest way to make each quilt.

Thanks, Brian. I happen to like red and brown together, but of course you could make this quilt in whatever colours you wish. The main point about quilting is that everyone has the freedom to make the quilt their own with whatever fabrics they choose.

Happy Birthday Rose! I too just had a birthday in April and I got fabric, lots of fabric, from my daughter. Now I know what to do with some of that fabric! Thank you for such great patterns. I wish you were closer so I could visit your shop. I will get to return to England some day. London, Stonehenge, and Ludlow Quilts, here I come (eventually). Thanks again, April